AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order Wednesday ordering colleges and universities in the state to punish antisemitic language on their campuses. 

What You Need To Know

  • The order requires all Texas colleges and universities to review and update their free speech policies and “establish appropriate punishments, including expulsion from the institution”

  • Abbott said his reasoning behind the order came from “the sharp rise of antisemitic acts” across the country following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel

  • Some free speech and civil rights organizations have also pushed back on Abbott’s executive order, with the ACLU of Texas saying on X, formerly Twitter, that it “sets a dangerous precedent for curtailing free speech”

  • Texas universities will have 90 days to report their findings to the governor’s office with proof that they made revisions to their policies and evidence that they are enforcing them

The order requires all Texas colleges and universities to review and update their free speech policies and “establish appropriate punishments, including expulsion from the institution.”

Abbott said his reasoning behind the order came from “the sharp rise of antisemitic acts” across the country following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

"Antisemitism is never acceptable in Texas, and we will do everything we can to fight it," Abbott wrote in a news release. "The State of Texas stands with Israel and the Jewish community, and we must escalate our efforts to protect against antisemitism at Texas colleges and universities and across our state.”

The Anti-Defamation League, a Jewish nonprofit agency, reported a rise in hate crimes against Jewish people after the Israel-Hamas war started. Data from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim advocacy group, also showed an increase in Islamophobia since the start of the war. 

Officials with CAIR condemned Abbott’s actions calling the order “an unconstitutional overreach and a direct affront to the principles of free speech and academic freedom.”

Some free speech and civil rights organizations have also pushed back on Abbott’s executive order, with the ACLU of Texas saying on X, formerly Twitter, that it “sets a dangerous precedent for curtailing free speech.”

“Universities must already protect students, faculty, and staff from harassment directed at any racial, ethnic, or religious group,” the post reads. “Peaceful expressions of dissent are integral to the educational experience and a functioning democracy.”

The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) said that while antisemitism is a problem on college campuses, the order infringes on students’ rights to political speech.

“But today’s executive order relies on a definition of antisemitism that reaches core political speech, including criticism of Israel,” a FIRE news release said. “The order also singles out student organizations by name, suggesting these groups should draw official scrutiny on account of their views.”

The groups Abbott called out were the Palestine Solidarity Committee and Students for Justice in Palestine. Abbott said they violated free speech policy and should be disciplined.

FIRE went on to say that the order violated the First Amendment and called it “state-mandated campus censorship.”

“By chilling campus speech, the executive order threatens to sabotage the transformative power of debate and discussion. That’s in sharp contrast to Texas state law, which wisely recognizes ‘freedom of speech and assembly as central to the mission of institutions of higher education,’” the release said. “When speech on contentious issues is subject to punishment, minds cannot be changed.”

Texas universities will have 90 days to report their findings to the governor’s office with proof that they made revisions to their policies and evidence that they are enforcing them. 

Abbott has been a staunch supporter of Israel and has traveled to the country three times since he took office in 2015, with the most recent visit being last November after the start of the war. 

In the immediate aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack, Abbott announced more than $4 million in additional funding to enhance security at 31 Texas Jewish organizations. 

The governor has also previously ordered Texas state agencies to not purchase goods exported from the Gaza Strip or with an organization with ties to Hamas.